On 04/10/2019, Susan Findlay and 6 members of her family from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada paid a visit to the Scottish Borders while on a 2-week tour of Scotland. Susan had previously been in touch to see if I could source a brick manufactured at the Hurlford Fireclay Works, Kilmarnock.
Susan’s grandfather, James Hart Findlay used to work at the Hurlford Fireclay Works, Kilmarnock. He died in 1963 and his death certificate describes him as a retired brickwork kiln burner.
Susan also very kindly brought with her a brick stamped Hamilton which was manufactured at the Hamilton Brickworks in Ontario, Canada. There is a suggestion that these works were started by a Scotsman but this is still to be clarified and confirmed.
Below- The 2 x Hurlford bricks destined for transport to Canada.
Below – A Hamilton brick from Canada.
Below The ‘handover’!
Many thanks to Robert Clark for the following photographs and information regarding Scottish bricks found in the Ottawa area of Canada. Below – Govan – This is very likely to be Scottish and manufactured at a works in Govan, Glasgow. The exact works are unknown as there are several possibilities including Mallsmire Fire Brick Works,…
The following bricks were found in Suriname, South America by Marnix (John) Visser. Marnix states – I have found several bricks on an old Scottish plantation in Suriname South America with the name Waterloo and located in Nickerie at the border with Guyana. James Balfour was the plantation owner. . . Below – Hurlford –…
Found by Michèle Côté and Marc Trudel on the beach along the Gaspé shore of Percé, Québec Canada. The ‘Gartcraig’ brick is most definitely Scottish. It was found near to a brick stamped ‘Vulcan’ which may also be Scottish as ‘Vulcan’ is a trademark of Campbell & Co, Roughcastle Fireclay Works, Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire. (However, ‘Vulcan’…
The following Scottish bricks were found by Tracie Perrie on the shore at Borden, Prince Edward Island, Canada. Below – ‘Glenboig’. Glenboig Union Fireclay Company, Glenboig, Lanarkshire. Alternative brickworks include: Glenboig Star Fireclay Works, Glenboig, Lanarkshire. Glenboig Fireclay Works, (Old Works) Glenboig, Lanarkshire Below – ‘Gartcraig Scotland Gaskil’. Gartcraig Fire Clay Works, By Millerston, Glasgow….
Found by Theresa Wentzell on Oxner’s beach Riverport, Nova Scotia, Canada. Gartcraig Fire Clay Works, By Millerston, Glasgow. . . . .
Found by Ray Thorn at Grandbay, New Brunswick, Canada. Note the thumbprint to the top right. Gartcraig Fire Clay Works, By Millerston, Glasgow. . . . .
The following ‘Stirling’ brick was found by Tracie Perrie on the shore at Borden, Prince Edward Island, Canada. The manufacturer of this firebrick is unknown but it was found amongst Glenboig and Gartcraig bricks (and possibly Thistle bricks) – see this link. It is very likely this brick has Scottish origins albeit the brickworks it…
Many thanks to Debbie Clipperon for the following information. Debbie states – In the 1800’s our village was pretty much settled by Scottish settlers and shipbuilding and lumber were our main industries. (Gone now) but the story goes, that the sailing ships would come and go from Scotland, full of broken bricks for ballast, dumped…
Many thanks to Steve Wraith for the following information. Steve states – My family and I went camping for the weekend, my father-in-law located a pile of bricks on the dried-up bottom of a lake in the Interior of BC called Sugar Lake., Canada. Gartcraig Fire Clay Works, By Millerston, Glasgow. . . .
Found by Wayne Stone in Monroe, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Waye states – The property was once a shipyard, run by my ancestors, that built wooden ships for several decades up to 1947. The shipyard closed at that time. It was a steam-driven mill operation so I assume that the Gartcraig bricks were fire bricks as…
